DAHLONEGA, Ga. – Delta State University junior right fielder Cade Hoggard's towering three-run home run in the third inning of Sunday's game powered the top-ranked Statesmen (2-2) to a 6-3 victory over No. 17-ranked North Georgia College and State (2-1) at Bob Stein Park. The victory evened the season series at 1-1. 

The Statesmen were looking to score early after dropping the first game of the series on Saturday 11-10. In the first, an error on Devin Goodwin's shot to center allowed the senior to reach base safely. After a groundout by Clay Sartain, Kellen Bozeman delivered with an RBI single through the left side for a 1-0 Statesmen lead. 

In the third, the Statesmen would break the game open with an RBI double by Bozeman and Hoggard's home run (1). The four run spot extended the lead to 5-0 heading into the bottom of the inning.
Delta State tacked on a run in the fourth, as Michael Niemann scored on Clay Sartain's RBI single to right. 

Leading 6-0 going into the bottom of the fifth, Statesmen starter Korey Cunningham, who had kept NGCSU scoreless through four innings, ran into some trouble surrendering three runs. Back-to-back walks led to a three-run home run by NGCSU left fielder Chad Sage cutting the DSU lead to three. 

The Statesmen would make a pitching change in the seventh, as Toby Easterly came on to relieve Cunningham. Easterly walked four, but kept the Saints off the scoreboard going into the ninth. 

After Easterly allowed two walks to start the bottom of the ninth, coach Mike Kinnison brought in closer Levi Bishop. Bishop quickly recorded the final two outs of the game for his tenth career save. 

The Statesmen finished the day with six runs on nine hits with zero errors, while the Saints scored three runs on seven hits with two errors. 

Cunningham (1-0) picked up the victory for DSU after pitching 6.0 innings. The Clinton native allowed three runs on four hits with three walks and six strikeouts. Easterly worked 2.1 innings with two hits, four walks, and a strikeout. Bishop worked the final two outs of the ninth. 

Michael Patton (0-1) took the loss for NGCSU. Patton worked 6.0 innings allowing six runs on eight hits with four strikeouts. 

Hoggard's three RBIs led the Statesmen on the day. Bozeman went 2-for-5 with two RBIs, and Sartain recorded his first three-hit game of the season with a 3-for-5 effort at the plate. 

The Statesmen return to Ferriss Field Tuesday and Wednesday for a mid-week series with the University of Montevallo. Tuesday's first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.